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This invention relates to a firearm safety device that is positioned inside the firing chamber of a weapon and locked for the purpose of preventing children and unauthorized users from firing a firearm.
There is a social backlash against guns. The gun industry faces allegations that its products are unsafe. There are campaigns aimed at keeping guns safe around children. Hunters and target shooters are accidentally injured by their weapon discharging. Education and training classes are being conducted to familiarize gun users about how to properly handle guns and about gun safety. Guns are exempt from federal consumer safety regulations.
Government agencies are working diligently to pass new laws that will help regulate gun safety devices. Government tests to defeat firearm safety devices are being conducted. The purpose of these tests is to disable the firearm safety device thereby rendering the firearm capable of firing. Firearm safety devices presently on the market were tested using common household tools. Considered, as household tools were screwdrivers, pipe and crescent wrenches, vice grip pliers, other pliers, hacksaws, crowbars, electric and cordless drills, cigarette lighters, hammers and chisels.
There are hundreds of firearm safety devices. Many of these devices are attached to a weapon""s trigger guard and enclose the trigger. A person not authorized to use the weapon would not have access to the weapon""s trigger.
Two such gun trigger-blocking locks are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,402, to Weinraub and U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,234, to Dragon, show keyed locking devices that enclose the firearm""s trigger. These trigger locks are a deterrent for an unauthorized user. However, many of the materials used to manufacture these trigger locks are made from rubber and plastic. Rubber and plastic are highly flammable. Using a common household match or a cigarette lighter can disable most all trigger locks.
Other type firearm safety devices are placed in the weapon""s firing chamber. The device is then rotated to expand against the interior walls of the firing chamber barrel; thus, the firearm cannot be loaded with live ammunition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,959, to Jaycox, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,223, to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,344, to Ross and U.S. Pat. No. 2,530,560, to Young, show firearm safety devices that are placed in a weapon""s firing chamber and expanded to create an interference fit, thereby, rendering the weapon useless.
Some firearm firing chamber locks require a key for their removal. Other locks may require rods to dislodge the lock from the firing chamber so it can be removed.
Firearm chamber locks give a false sense of security. Most all weapon""s are heavily oiled, inside and outside, with gun oil. Once the firearm firing chamber lock is placed in the weapon""s firing chamber, and a key placed inside the lock, the key cannot be turned or expanded enough to maintain traction. A metal rod, larger than a cleaning rod, placed inside the barrel, and using a downward, striking motion will dislodge the firearm firing chamber lock. The gun oil will not allow traction for the firearm firing chamber lock against the firing chamber wall.
Other firearm safety devices commonly used are firearm safety cable locks. These cable locks are usually applied by looping a cable through the weapon""s shell loading and shell ejection port. Once the cable lock is installed the weapon is useless and the weapon cannot be fired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,777, to Waterman, shows a firearm lock assembly that extends between a chamber insert and a muzzle cap. The cable is locked by an armature extension of a lock, which has a catch for receiving a lug fixed to the cable. U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,889, to Zaharek, shows a gunlock assemble that consist of two major components, a chamber blocking rod member and a locking rod member. Prior art shows that a thief or an unauthorized user could conceivably disarm these firearm safety lock assemblies by utilizing a common household hacksaw or a file. Open exposures will allow the use of a screwdriver for prying and bending the locking devices.
Using pliers or grips easily disarms firearm safety cable locks. By placing open pliers where the cable enters the lock, and applying pressure to the pliers handles, and using a twisting motion, back and forth, the lock will break where the cable is attached to the stanchion. The firearm safety cable lock is then disarmed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,832, to Barnhart, shows a weapon chamber safety plug kit. The weapon chamber safety plug kit is a safety device, when placed in a weapon""s firing chamber, allows a person to visually observe an exposed safety tab which indicates the weapon does not have live ammunition in the firing chamber. The weapon chamber safety plug is only a safety indicator. The plug is easy to remove and the weapon is then ready to be loaded and fired.
The present invention is a non-integral firearm safety-locking device. The locking device is rectangular and fits into a weapon""s empty chamber cavity. This locking device is put to use by locking a weapon""s bolt to the rear. When moving the bolt to the rear it causes the weapon to extract loaded ammunition and will expose the weapon""s empty chamber. Only a keyed faceplate is visible when the lock is in place. The outer face of the firearm safety lock is flush with the weapons outer chamber frame. The locking device end nearest the bolt rests on the end of the weapon""s barrel. This prevents the weapon from being disassembled to remove the lock. The backside of the firearm safety device is designed to house a finger lock that provides a backup barrel lock. Also, this prevents the weapon from being disassembled. The firearm safety lock end nearest the firing chamber prevents the firearm safety lock from being used when the weapon is loaded. The bottom of the firearm safety lock has a movable metal plate that protrudes into the ammunition loading port of the firearm when in the locked position. To place the device in a locked mode the key is inserted into the non-integral firearm safety lock""s keyed entry and rotated ninety degrees counter-clockwise. This motion moves the locking plate down and into the firing chanber shell loading port and locks the weapon. Once locked, the weapon cannot be fired, loaded, unloaded or disassembled. To remove the firearm safety lock insert the key into the non-integral firearm safety lock""s keyed entry and rotate clockwise ninety degrees and lift the lock out of the firing chamber. The key is used for a lift handle. Once the safety lock is removed the firearm is ready to be loaded and fired. Each of the non-integral firearm safety-locking devices is keyed differently. The non-integral firearm safety-locking device provides an extremely safe and fast method for securing a firearm. The device is designed to allow quick access to the weapon for quick loading and firing. The non-integral firearm safety lock is very affordable. The price for the non-integral firearm-safety device will be competitive with other gun safety locks sold today.
It is an object of the invention to provide a safe, fast and economical method for placing a firearm in an inoperable mode until the weapon is ready for use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a non-integral firearm safety lock to the general public that is user-friendly.
Another object of the invention is to have a non-integral firearm safety lock that has passed the scrutiny of testing laboratories.
Another object is to provide a non-integral firearm safety lock that is installed and removed within seconds by the use of a key that is keyed differently.
Another object is to provide a non-integral firearm safety lock that cannot be removed from a weapon by using normal household tools.
Another object is to provide gun manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, customers and gun users a safe and inexpensive method for transporting and storing their weapons.
Another object is to provide a firearm safety lock that is tamper proof for children and unauthorized users.
Another object is to provide a firearm safety device that prohibits installing the non-integral firearm safety lock into a weapon that is loaded with live ammunition.
Another object is to provide a non-integral firearm safety lock that cannot be removed by the use of a rod inserted into a weapon""s barrel.
Another object is to provide a non-integral firearm safety lock that prohibits disassembling a locked weapon.